A few years ago, I stood underneath a red overhanging cliff near my hometown. The day was amazing.     1     deer chewed on the brown grasses, an eagle rode the wind. I was tied in, ready to climb. I was attempting     2     (do) a route first try, “onsight,” which means I didn’t know     3     I was climbing into.

Just as I was about to climb, nerves in my body, which I hadn’t felt yet,     4     (say) hello. That’s not good for any athlete. Desperate, I painted a coat of     5     (confident) on my inner walls of doubt. “You can do this, and success is certain.” I firmly told myself.

It didn’t work. I fell near the top.     6     (defeat), I lowered to the ground and realized powerfully that the desire to climb the route had kept me from doing it. In a flash, I told myself that on my next attempt, success or failure was not important. “Make one move at     7     time. That’s all.” I gave myself a pass from whatever would happen. It worked.

While     8     (stand) on the top, I was deep in thought. At some point, I framed this experience for myself in terms of simple arithmetic: When I added determination, courage, and desire, I failed. When I took away the desire for success, I improved. I enjoyed it more as well, which,     9     an athlete of 30 years, I didn’t think was possible. I     10     (eventual) discovered the power of subtraction (减法).

Walking through his neighborhood supermarket in Australia,     1     packs of Chinese sauerkraut (酸菜) line the shelves, Huang Xiqing feels like he’s shopping in his hometown of Shenyang in Liaoning province. “The sauerkraut soup tastes just like home,” says the 45-year-old Chinese living in Canberra,     2     (sound) a little homesick.

Chinese sauerkraut, a pickle which     3     (make) of Chinese cabbage, is a traditional specialty of the northeastern region and is now sold around the country     4     exported overseas. Chinese cabbage has gained     5     (popular) with ordinary household, because it is cheap and can be stored for a relatively long period of time.

During the last decades, Chinese businessmen have set     6     several sauerkraut companies. Among them, the Xinmin agricultural product company of the Heilongjiang Cuihua Group has sold its Chinese sauerkraut not only     7     (domestic), but also to countries including Canada, Japan and the United States. When people were making purchases for Spring Festival, sales of Chinese sauerkraut on Douyin increased more than10-fold,     8     (compare) to the previous year.

But for Huang, Chinese sauerkraut is an everlasting link to home. “Although I have tried delicacies from across     9     globe. Chinese sauerkraut is still one of my     10     (favourite), and reminds me of my hometown,” Huang says.

Kites were invented around the 5th century BCE during the Warring States period. They were made of wood and silk, and had military (军事的)     1     (purpose) such as measuring distances, signaling, and reconnaissance.

Over time, kites gained popularity as recreational toys. They were flown during festive occasions and celebrations, symbolizing good luck and driving away bad luck.     2     (additional), competitive kite flying appeared, with participants showing their skills in     3     (achieve) the highest altitude and performing complex movements. Kite flying became a way for artistic expression. People started applying artistic designs     4     decorative factors together to kites, including delicate paintings and calligraphy on silk surfaces. This allowed kites     5     (become) a medium for showing traditional Chinese culture and beauty.

As kite-making developed, there were significant technical advancements. Experiments with different materials and designs     6     (lead) to the transition (过渡) from wood to bamboo frames, as well as the use of paper and fabric instead of silk.

Kite makers also added tails and explored     7     (vary) shapes and sizes to improve stability and flight performance. Kite flying continues to be popular     8     China. There are kite festivals and competitions     9     show good designs and movements, keeping the tradition alive. The influence of Chinese kites has extended beyond China, promoting designs in other cultures. Besides, the concept (概念) of flying kites has served as     10     (inspire) for scientific advancements in different fields.

In recent years, food has apparently become a new hot spot for Chinese cities to attract tourists. Following Zibo and Harbin, Tianshui,     1     ancient city in Northwest China's Gansu Province, became the     2     (hot) tourists destination of 2024 because of malatang, a local street dish.

Malatang,     3     (literal) meaning “numbing, spicy, and hot” in Chinese, is a common street food that can be found all over China, but its tastes differ depending     4     the region. In Tianshui, malatang features a mix of fresh vegetables and meat     5     (boil) in a hot, spicy chicken soup.

Tianshui went viral when a student     6     (post) a seven-second video in February on her social media. In the video, she suggested     7     (make) Gansu malatang a national dish. The video,     8     quickly received millions of likes online, attracted food lovers to the city     9     (experience) this local dish firsthand. Malatang also helps draw more visits to key     10     (attraction) in Tianshui, such as Maijishan Grottoes and Fuxi Temple.

A special tea picker has been operating at a West Lake Longjing tea plantation in Hangzhou recently. It is the world's first tea-picking robot. The robot uses two mechanical arms to move back and forth as it searches     1     tea buds （芽）. When it locates one, it uses a pair of scissors and a suction （抽吸） device     2     (attach) to the end of its arm to cut and collect the tea buds. It     3     (equip) with a pair of 3D eyes that can     4     (automatic) identify tender tea leaves through artificial intelligence technology. People firstly take many photos to tell the machine about the targets     5     it can pick, and when the photos are enough, the machine will learn by     6     ( it). The technology is also constantly improving. It has now been upgraded to the fifth generation, and it takes just 1. 5 seconds     7     (pick) a tea bud, with an     8     (accurate) rate of 86 percent.

Ruan Jianyun, a tea expert, said, "We still have two problems. One problem is the efficiency and quality of tea picking, and     9     other is the cost of the machine."

In recent years, mechanization has been widely applied in the tea production industry. However, the picking of high-quality tea still     10     (rely) on human labor.

Chinese opera, has a rich history dating back thousands of years. There are various types of Chinese opera, each with its own unique characteristics and traditions. Kunqu Opera, for example,     1     (consider) an old form of Chinese opera, characterized by its elegant lyrics and beautiful melodies. Peking Opera, another famous type, is noted     2     its colorful costumes, facial makeup and movements.

One of the     3     (remarkable) features of Chinese opera is its integration (融合) of singing, dancing, acting, and acrobatics. The singing in Chinese opera is an impressive aspect. In addition to singing,     4     fascinates people most is actors’ dance and acrobatics. These     5     (performance) require years of training and dedication, making Chinese opera actors true masters of their craft.

The stories     6     (tell) through Chinese opera are often drawn from historical events, legends and folklore. These narratives not only entertain but also educate,     7     (pass) down cultural values and moral lessons from generation to generation. The themes of loyalty, bravery and filial piety (孝) are repeated, which promotes social harmony and moral behavior.

In     8    (conclude), Chinese opera is a treasured art form     9     (deep) rooted in Chinese culture. Whether you’re a fan of theater     10     simply interested in Chinese culture, Chinese opera is definitely worth exploring.

Beloved as they may be, many Chinese dishes only show up on family tables once a year,     1     (mark) holidays or seasonal observances. When the Qingming Festival approaches each spring, qingtuan, a sweet, jade-coloured treat begins to appear in supermarkets     2    bakeries all over the country

“In Chinese culture, it’s really important to always honour and remember your ancestors,” said Lillian Luk,     3     founder of the London pop-up Shanghai Supper Club. During the Qingming Festival people all over China go on trips to their deceased loved ones’ burial sites    4     ( sweep) the graves, burn incense and present offerings.

    5     (make) with glutinous rice flour, qingtuan dough is emerald-green because of the addition of mugwort (艾草). “Mugwort also gives the qingtuan a nice medicinal benefit. It’s meant to    6     (low) blood pressure,” said Luk, who now makes and sells the green    7     (treat) at her pop-up restaurant when the Qingming Festival rolls around.

In recent years, Luk     8     (notice) qingtuan evolving. She’s seen all sorts of novel versions pop up, from dumplings dyed green with matcha (抹茶) instead of mugwort,     9     ones filled with custard or sweet potato. Luk acknowledges the value of unexpected flavour options—seeing her children become excited and curious about foods from their culture. “Somehow, I have kind of woven this thread     10     ties my kids to my heritage, unintentionally,” said Luk.

An exhibition,     1    （feature）around 200 culture artifacts from the era of interaction between the Chinese and French royal courts in the 17th and 18th centuries, kicked off at the Palace Museum in Beijing on Monday, marking the opening of the 18th     2    （edit）of the Festival Croisements. Croisements, meaning “crossover” in French, symbolizes mutual influence and     3    （connection）between Chinese and French cultures.     4     exhibition is a key event for the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism,     5     celebrates the 60-year diplomatic bond between the two countries.

Highlighted exhibits, from the collections of the two museums, include a gilt copper watch with a portrait of French King Louis XIV, most likely a gift from the monarch（君主）    6     Qing Dynasty（1644—1911）Emperor Kangxi; two pieces from Ten Tribute Horses, a booklet     7    （sign）by French Jesuit painter and missionary（传教士）Jean-Denis Attiret（1702—68）; and a porcelain panel painting of Qing Emperor Qianlong, which     8    （purchase）by French King Louis XV I in 1776 and kept at the Palace of Versailles ever since.

Launched in 2006, the Festival Croisements is dedicated to     9    （active）promoting exchanges and dialogues between Chinese and French art institutions and artists, presenting innovation and energy of their culture and art,     10     enhancing mutual understanding and friendship.

Since last year a fascinating new phenomenon     1     (sweep) through major cities across China — the explosive rise of night schools catering to young professionals. Usually with one class a week, these schools offer short learning courses regarding     2     (subject) from dancing to vocal training, from traditional handicrafts, beauty, and fitness classes, to wine tasting and vlog filming, and the list of possibilities for new learning experiences is seemingly     3     (limit).

The pacesetter has been the Shanghai Night School, which offers 12 classes     4     (lead) by masters in their fields for only 500RMB ($70). When Shanghai’s autumn 2023 semester enrollment began, a striking number of students, approximately 650, 000,    5    (immediate) flooded on to the registration website. Soon the trend     6     (follow) by some major cities like Beijing, Xi’an, and Shenzhen, which launched their own distinctive night schools.

These night schools do not just provide standard academic content,     7     are tapping into the personal passions and unfulfilled dreams of China’s urban youth. Yang Song, a student at Shanghai Night School, said, “I have many hobbies and I want to learn all the things     8     I didn’t take the time to learn when I was studying in the past.”

For ambitious yet overworked urban professionals, these schools also promise self-cultivation, community bonding, and most importantly, a happy environment     9     (lack) in the irregular workplaces, which seems to offer an escape     10     the burnout workplaces, even only for a few hours each week.

China, with a history stretching back thousands of years, has a rich and diverse traditional culture. This culture,    1     is passed down through generations, is seen in     2     (difference) aspects of Chinese life.

One typical example is the art of calligraphy,    3     (consider) as a national treasure. The beauty of Chinese calligraphy     4     (reflect) the harmony of nature and the universe. Another significant aspect is traditional Chinese medicine, and it aims     5     (balance) the body’s vital energy.

Festivals also play     6     crucial role. The Spring Festival, the most important of all, marks the     7     (begin) of a new year and is celebrated with family reunions, fireworks, and delicious food. The Dragon Boat Festival, the fifth day of the fifth lunar month,    8     (special) commemorates(纪念) the ancient poet Qu Yuan.

Additionally, Chinese music and dance, traditional     9     (instrument) like the guqin and the drum, are important parts in Chinese culture. It is classical literature that provides insights into ancient Chinese thought and values.

In conclusion, Chinese traditional culture serves     10     a bridge to the past, connecting generations and developing a sense of national pride.